German National People's Party

German National People's Party
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Name	German National People's Party
Native name	Deutschnationale Volkspartei
Abbreviation	DNVP
Leader	Oskar Hergt, Alfred Hugenberg
Founded	1918
Dissolved	1933
Headquarters	Berlin
Newspaper	Kreuzzeitung

German National People's Party was a major conservative political party in Weimar Germany, founded in 1918 by Oskar Hergt, Alfred Hugenberg, and other nationalist and monarchist groups, including the German Conservative Party and the Free Conservative Party. The party was closely tied to the Junker class, industrialists like Friedrich Flick and Hugo Stinnes, and agricultural interests represented by the Reichslandbund. The party's ideology was shaped by its opposition to the Treaty of Versailles and the Weimar Constitution, as well as its support for the German Empire and the Hohenzollern dynasty, including Kaiser Wilhelm II.

● History

The German National People's Party was formed in 1918, in the aftermath of World War I and the German Revolution, which led to the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and the establishment of the Weimar Republic. The party's early leaders, including Oskar Hergt and Alfred Hugenberg, were strongly opposed to the Treaty of Versailles and the Weimar Constitution, which they saw as an imposition by the Allied powers, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. The party drew support from a range of groups, including the Junker class, industrialists like Friedrich Flick and Hugo Stinnes, and agricultural interests represented by the Reichslandbund, as well as monarchist groups like the Bund der Aufrechten and the Schwarz-Weiß-Rot. The party's relationship with other right-wing groups, including the Nazi Party and its leader Adolf Hitler, was complex and often contentious, with the DNVP initially viewing the Nazis as a useful ally against the Communist Party of Germany and the Social Democratic Party of Germany.

● Ideology

The German National People's Party was a conservative party that advocated for a return to the monarchy and the German Empire, with Kaiser Wilhelm II or another member of the Hohenzollern dynasty as head of state. The party was strongly nationalist and opposed to the Treaty of Versailles and the Weimar Constitution, which it saw as an imposition by the Allied powers, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. The party's ideology was also shaped by its support for agricultural interests and the Junker class, as well as its opposition to socialism and communism, which it saw as a threat to private property and the free market. The party's leaders, including Alfred Hugenberg and Oskar Hergt, were influenced by the ideas of Oswald Spengler and Arthur Moeller van den Bruck, and saw the party as a vehicle for promoting German nationalism and conservatism.

● Organization

The German National People's Party was organized into a series of local and regional branches, with a national headquarters in Berlin. The party's leadership was dominated by Alfred Hugenberg and Oskar Hergt, who served as the party's chairman and deputy chairman, respectively. The party also had a number of affiliated organizations, including the Reichslandbund and the Bund der Aufrechten, which represented the interests of agriculturalists and monarchists, respectively. The party's relationship with other right-wing groups, including the Nazi Party and its leader Adolf Hitler, was complex and often contentious, with the DNVP initially viewing the Nazis as a useful ally against the Communist Party of Germany and the Social Democratic Party of Germany.

● Election Results

The German National People's Party was a major force in Weimar German politics, and won a significant number of seats in the Reichstag in the elections of 1920, 1924, and 1928. The party's best result came in the 1924 election, when it won 95 seats and became the second-largest party in the Reichstag, after the Social Democratic Party of Germany. The party's support declined in the late 1920s and early 1930s, as the Nazi Party and its leader Adolf Hitler gained popularity, and the DNVP was ultimately dissolved in 1933, after the Nazi seizure of power. The party's leaders, including Alfred Hugenberg and Oskar Hergt, were forced into exile or retirement, and many of its members joined the Nazi Party or other right-wing groups, including the Stahlhelm and the Reichsflagge.

● Notable Members

The German National People's Party had a number of notable members, including Alfred Hugenberg, Oskar Hergt, and Kuno von Westarp, who served as the party's chairman, deputy chairman, and chief whip, respectively. Other notable members included Friedrich von Loebell, Gottfried Treviranus, and Martin Schiele, who served as ministers in the Weimar German government, and Hermann von Mittnacht, who served as the party's treasurer. The party also had a number of prominent supporters, including Kaiser Wilhelm II, Paul von Hindenburg, and Erich Ludendorff, who saw the party as a vehicle for promoting German nationalism and conservatism.

● Legacy

The German National People's Party played a significant role in Weimar German politics, and its legacy continues to be felt today. The party's emphasis on German nationalism and conservatism helped to shape the political landscape of Germany in the 1920s and 1930s, and its relationship with the Nazi Party and its leader Adolf Hitler was complex and often contentious. The party's dissolution in 1933 marked the end of an era in German politics, and its members were forced to adapt to a new political reality under the Nazi regime. Despite its flaws and limitations, the German National People's Party remains an important part of German history, and its legacy continues to be studied by historians and scholars today, including Fritz Fischer, Hans-Ulrich Wehler, and Eberhard Jäckel.

Category:Defunct political parties in Germany